Ornamental watch stand



Nov. 6, 1962 J. w. GREEN 3,062,491

ORNAMENTAL WATCH STAND Filed March 7. 1960 James W. Green IN VEN TOR.

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United States Patent 3,062,491 ORNAMENTAL WATCH STAND James W. Green,125 S. Main St., Roxboro, N.C. Filed Mar. 7, 1960, Ser. No. 13,359 4Claims. (Cl. 248116) This invention comprises a novel and usefulornamental watch stand and more particularly relates to a device forsupporting and displacing in a convenient and attractive manner watchesof different sizes.

It is frequently desirable for a variety of reasons, as for example, forsentimental reasons as well as for utilitarian purposes, to mount anddisplay a watch upon a desk or the like. Owing to its general delicateconstruction as well as to the limitations imposed by its physicalcharacteristics, a supporting means for such purpose must bespecifically constructed and especially adapted to support the watch inan attractive manner, in a readily visible position and with safety andsecurity for the watch so supported. It is therefore a very importantpurpose of this invention to provide a stand particularly adapted toperform these functions.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide asupport stand by which various types of pocket watches may be safely,and in a utilitarian manner supported for ready visibility and in ahighly attractive and ornamental manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device in accordancewith the preceding objects wherein there are provided in connection witha base a pair of upwardly and outwardly projecting opposed arms eachhaving a clip with a concave supporting surface adapted to engage andembrace the rim of a watch for supporting the latter therebetween.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an ornamental watchstand in accordance with the preceding objects wherein the supportingarms are pivotally carried by the stand, have end portions projectingthrough the interior of the stand and which cooperate with an actuatingmeans to effect a positive movement of the arms towards or from eachother to thereby apply the clips of the arms in a compressive embracingengagement upon the rim of a watch or release the same therefrom.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view showing a preferred embodiment ofthe ornamental support stand in accordance with this invention andillustrating its use in supporting a watch; 7

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view of FIGURE 1 taken from the rightside thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a view partly upon elevation and partly in vertical sectionthrough the stand and showing details of the mechanism by which thesupport arms of the stand are positively actuated;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the stand of FIG- URE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of one of thesupporting arms and the end portion thereof which comprises an actuatingfinger for the arm.

In the accompanying drawings, the ornamental watch stand is designatedgenerally by the numeral 10. The same includes a base indicatedgenerally at 12 upon which is mounted a pair of support arms each shownat 14 and through the instrumentality of which a conventional type ofpocket watch 16 is releasably supported.

Referring first to FIGURE 3 primarily it will be seen 3,062,491 PatentedNov. 6, 1962 that the base 12 has a lower portion 20 which is generallyrectangular or square in horizontal section and from the corners ofwhich are provided dependent supporting legs 22 which are L-shaped inhorizontal section. The side walls of the lower portion 20 are slopedslightly downwardly and outwardly to produce a pleasing flaredappearance of the lower portion of the stand and the side walls areupwardly scalloped or recessed or notched as at 24. The upper part ofthe lower portion 20 has a horizontal flat wall or partition 26 fromwhich rises an upper portion 28 having a top wall or closure 30therefore. The portion 28 is circular in cross-section as shown best inFIGURE 4 so that the entire stand 12 has a chamber opening from thelower end thereof, thus reducing the weight of the stand, providingspace within the stand for a purpose to be subsequently set forthenabling the entire stand to be economically formed as a casting ifdesired. Needless to say, the stand is preferably of a suitable materialwhich will afford an attractive appearance as well as provide suitablephysical structural characteristics.

Extending through the upper portion of the bell-shaped section 28 of thebase are a plurality of openings or apertures 32. These openings provideaccess to the chamber in the interior of the base and are located at theuppermost end of this chamber and immediately below the top wall 30.

The pair of opposed arms 14 are of suitable configuration, preferablycomprising lower horizontal portions 34 together with curving portions36 by which the inwardly curving upper portions 38 are united into asingle graceful structure. Enlarged balls or spheres 40 are formed atthe upper ends of these arms both to impart ornamental appearancethereto as well as to furnish handle grip means which will facilitatethe manipulation of the arms as found to be subsequently necessary. Attheir end portions the aligned horizontal sections 34 of the arms areadapted to extend through the openings 32 into the chamber in theinterior of the base and are provided with pivot apertures 42 which areadapted to be mounted for pivotal movement in the openings by the pivotpins 44. At their extremities these portions 34 are provided withinwardly projecting relatively small extensions comprising fingers orfinger portions 46 which constitute a means whereby the arms may beadjusted pivotally towards or from each other and may be retained inadjusted position as set forth hereinafter.

Adjacent their upper ends each of the opposed arms is provided with agripping means or clip in the form of a strap 50 of suitable materialwhich may be resilient in nature if desired, and with the adjacent facesof the two straps being provided with or constituting concave surfacesof sufficient size and shape to firmly and securely grip, embrace andretain therebetween the rim or periphery of the watch 16. It will beobserved in this manner that the watch is supported by its peripherybetween the two arms and completely out of contact with any otherelements of the device, whereby to attractively but clearly and fullydisplay the watch out of contact with the other elements of the stand asshown clearly in FIGURE 1.

If desired, the fasteners 52 by which these gripping members are securedto the arms may be in the form of rivets or the like, and may constituteif desired a pivotal connection whereby the straps 50 may be pivotallypositioned with respect to their support arms.

A fastening means is provided for adjustably pivoting the arms andlocking them in their adjusted position and in gripping engagement uponthe watch. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 3 there is provided a means in theform of a screw 54 which is threadedly engaged in an internally threadedbore 56 in the top wall 30 of the base or stand. This screw is providedwith a relatively large annular lower flange 58 together with arelatively smaller upper flange 60 which define therebetween an annularchannel or groove 62. Consequently, the adjacent surfaces of the twoflanges constitute shoulders between which are received and positionedthe fingers 46 of the pair of arms. By this arrangement, the screw maybe adjusted upwardly or downwardly by inserting an appropriate tool tothe open lower end of the chamber thereby causing pivotal movement ofthe arms towards and from each other as indicated by the arrows inFIGURE 3. By this means the clamping straps 56 are moved towards or fromeach other and are caused to compressibly embrace the rim of a watchtherebetween.

Although there has been illustrated a construction in which both of thearms are pivoted upon the base, it Will be understood that one arm maybe rigid and non-pivoted and the relative pivoting action of the armswith respect to each other may be effected solely by movement of theother arm. For this purpose, one of the arms could have its fingerportion 46 omitted so that the adjusting means consisting of theactuator 54 will operate to effect pivotal movement of the other armonly.

Although the arm actuating means is illustrated as fingers 46 engagingthe channel 62, it is within the comprehension of this invention to formthe ends of either one or both of the finger portions 46 with threadsengaging the threads on the adjusting screw 54; and for this purpose thethread carrying finger portions could be arcuate to maintain operativeconnection with the screw threads during the adjustment of the latter.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An ornamental stand for watches comprising a support base, a pair ofrigid upwardly projecting opposed arms carried by and rising above saidbase, a pair of clips facing each other and having concave surfaces forgripping the rim of a watch case therebetween and each secured to theupper part of one of said arms, two-way actuating means for effectingmovement of said clips towards and away from each other for positivelypositioning said clips to compressively grip a watch case therebetween,means pivotally mounting at least one of said arms at its lower end tosaid base for swinging movement toward and from the other arm, saidactuating means being connected to said base and to said one arm, saidbase having a chamber therein opening upwardly from the lower sidethereof, said actuating means being disposed within said chamber andcomprising a screw having shoulders thereon, said one arm having afinger 4 positioned within said chamber and disposed between andoperated by said shoulders to eifect pivoting of said one arm.

2. An ornamental stand for watches comprising a support base, a pair ofrigid upwardly projecting opposed arms carried by and rising above saidbase, a pair of clips facing each other and having concave surfaces forgripping the rim of a watch case therebetween and each secured to theupper part of one of said arms, two-way actuating means for effectingmovement of said clips towards and away from each other for positivelypositioning said clips to compressively grip a watch case therebetween,said base having a chamber opening upwardly from its lower end, saidbase having lateral openings therethrough communicating with saidchamber, said arms being pivoted to said base and having end portionsdisposed in said chamber, said actuating means being carried by saidbase, disposed in said chamber and connected to said end portions.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said actuating means consists of ascrew having an annular groove therein, said end portions being engagedin said groove to effect pivoting of said arms.

4. In an ornamental stand for watches, the combination of a hollow baseincluding a side wall and a top wall defining a chamber in said base,said side wall being provided adjacent said top wall With a pair ofopposed lateral openings in communication with said chamber, a pair ofwatch supporting arms extending upwardly from opposite sides of saidbase and having lower end portions projecting inwardly through therepresentative openings into said chamber, transverse pivot pinsprovided in said openings and pivotally connecting the lower endportions of said arms to the side wall of the base whereby upper endportions of the arms may be moved toward and away from each other, saidtop wall of the base being provided with a vertical screw-threaded bore,a screw operatively engaging said bore and disposed in said chamberbetween the inner ends of said arms, a pair of spaced annular shouldersprovided on said screw and defining an annular groove therebetween, andfingers provided at the inner ends of said arms and extending into saidgroove, said fingers being engaged selectively by said shoulders to movethe upper end portions of said arms selectively toward and away fromeach other by rotation of said screw selectively in opposite directions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS424,555 Hofman Apr. 1, 1890 483,963 Leger Oct. 4, 1892 1,199,052Crawford Sept. 20, 1916 1,326,671 Kossmann Dec. 30, 1919 1,877,532 ReitzSept. 13, 1932 2,227,626 Blila Jan. 7, 1941

